


A Gentle Dawn

by entangledwood (Eryn)



Series: Lost and Found [3]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Escape, Gen, Master/Slave, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-15 22:14:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28696023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eryn/pseuds/entangledwood
Summary: If Fjord stays with the Tombtakers any longer he's going to loose his mind, so when a chance presents itself he doesn't hesitate.
Series: Lost and Found [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2101455
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	A Gentle Dawn

Fjord wakes with his face still tender, and his wrists still tied. He must have dozed off after all, but he's slept restless enough that his head is still fuzzy, his cock is still half hard, and he blearily looks around the camp. He's alone in bed, he suddenly realizes. Alone, and Lucien is stalking off towards the latrine, and Cree is walking towards the fire coming back from it.

It's the perfect excuse, the perfect setup, an opportunity too good to pass up. Before he can second guess his impulse Fjord pushes himself to his feet, pants sliding halfway down his hips, boots tangling in the blankets. "Sir," he breath-calls just as he stumbles and falls forward.

Cree reaches out to catch him reflexively, and Fjord grabs for her reflexively, but the ropes pull him up short, so his hands only catch the neckline of her coat. And the necklace underneath. Fabric rips, as does the chain. Fjord flinches and lets himself drop to his knees in the snow, lets the ropes tug his head down as he braces himself. "S-sorry, ma'am," he gasps out, makes himself hunch over, small and pathetic, heart racing in his throat. He has the necklace pressed into the snow under his right palm, ready to be slipped up his sleeve the way Nott taught all of them way back on the Mistake. Hands reach down for him, and Fjord lets himself flinch back from them, portraying more fear than he feels. It's only Cree ruffling his hair though. "You alright?"

"Yes, ma'am," Fjord says, clears his throat and adds. "I'm sorry I fell on you." He lets himself kneel back slowly, shuffling a bit on his knees and sliding the pendant further into the folds of his coat. He winces at the sight of her bare neck. "I'll fix your coat."

"It's fine," she assures him, shrugging a bit and tugging her scarf down over the ripped neck.

Fjord heart beats in his throat, but she doesn't notice the missing pendant, just reaches down to pull him to his feet.

"Go on," she nudges him toward the edge of the camp. "You'll want to hurry. Lucien won't wait for you."

"Yes, ma'am." He gives her a grateful, earnest smile and hurries off, hands fisted in front of his neck, and the pendant snug inside his pocket.

***

Two hours later, when they are walking through the snow, Fjord mutters "I got it. Right." When Caleb sends him a message.

***

Four hours later, the world around them is still white in all directions, and Veth slides up to him and Lucien. Fjord barely hears what she asks, too focused on the feeling of Veth's fingers swiping the pendant from his right coat pocket. He gives a noncommittal answer and watches her dart off back to the others.

***

Six hours later they stand at the gate to the next set of ruins. The Tombtakers order the Nein to stand watch, taking only Fjord down with them, a hostage and a witness to their deeds.

***

Eight hours later it's all over. They explored the ruins, they got the crest, and when they reach the top again Fjord uses his last spell slot to thunderstep over to his friends. They flee into the night, snow-white giant owls blending into the sky. They fly long enough that Fjord can pretend it's the cold that has him shaking when they finally stop to rest.

***

Ten hours later they are crowded into the tower's dining hall, Fjord sat in the middle while Jester regales him with the retelling of their destruction of the necklace. Apparently it had taken a few tries, some rounds of dispelling and analyzing. "And then Caleb cast disintegrate on it and it shivered and glittered and then it burst into sparkles and disappeared. We just kinda sat around after that until you got back."

"I wanted to set a trap on the entrance," Veth cuts in. "But Caleb said we might hurt you in the blast, so we just made sure to be ready to go when you got there."

Fjord nods. "And I'm glad you did." His voice is thick, and he has trouble looking at any of them. His cheek is still tender from last night, his throat is still raw. But they don't seem to mind his quietness. Or at least they don't remark on it, even if they notice. It isn't the first time they've saved him from slavery, he supposes. Maybe in a few days they'll start prying, but for now all he has to do is sit and eat and let them see that he's alive.

***

Twelve hours later, Fjord wanders the tower aimlessly. He is warm. He is well fed. He is freshly bathed. He it exhausted. But his neck feels naked and his bed is empty. So he walks past rows and rows of books. He pets cats. He drinks a cup of hot chocolate. He puts on one of the exquisitely comfortable robes Caleb has stocked all their rooms with.

Ultimately he ends up in front of Caduceus' door, palms sweaty, throat dry. Maybe he should just go. Go back to his room. Go back to the leather collar he didn't let any of them touch. But then the next step would be to go out of the tower and back to Lucien. Which is a stupid place to want to be.

He makes himself knock on the door instead.

It takes a few moments before the door opens and Caduceus stands in front of him, sleep mussed, larger than life, warm and inviting. "Good evening, Fjord." His voice is quiet, gravelly and Fjord wonders if he just woke him up. "Would you like to come inside?"

Fjord nods. He has no idea what would come out of his mouth if he opened it, so he stays quiet and lets himself be led inside.

Caduceus's room is large, with furniture sized for a firbolg, made up of warm woods. Fjord inhales deeply, takes in the rich perfume of incense the clings to the space and Caduceus's skin alike. Fjord stands and looks around, worries his lower lip between his teeth.

He could sit in front of the fire, and he has no doubt that Caduceus would join him, no matter how tired he looks. But that would mean making conversation.

Only he isn't sure he'd be welcome to crawl into Caduceus's bed. No matter how inviting it looks, with its large blanket and mussed sheets.

A large hand settles on his shoulder and he starts, looking over his shoulder up at Caduceus. He looks a bit like the way he does when he communes, eyes half-lidded, body relaxed, but still attentive. The hand stays firm on his shoulder and Fjord feels the warmth seep through his robe.

For a moment Fjord is caught by Caduceus' gaze, and it feels like Caduceus is peering straight into his core. Fjord wants to cringe back, to hide the need inside him, but he can't. All he can do is stand still and bare himself to his...friend. His mentor. One whose fantasy-self he clung to while he was with the Tombtakers.

"Would you like to sleep here?" Caduceus asks.

Fjord nods, sighing in relief and letting himself sag against Caduceus's chest. "Yes, please," he murmurs, and swallows down the 'sir' three days with the Tombtakers has turned into a reflex. "I...I'd like that."

He'd like more, much more than he knows Caduceus can offer him. But just sleeping with someone else under the same covers will be good. And in all honesty sleeping with someone who doesn't expect anything more from him than to be a good cuddle buddy might be just what he needs.

"Alright," Caduceus agrees. "Let's go to sleep then." He lets go of Fjord's shoulder and heads back to bed, giving Fjord space. 

Fjord follows him before it can grow too big. If he wanted space he would have stayed in his room.

He slips off his shoes and the robe and slides into bed after Caduceus. The mattress is soft under him, with fresh warm sheets. The bed is large, but it already smells like Caduceus. Fjord sighs softly. It isn't the tiny hut, but it's similar. He closes his eyes and lets himself burrow under the sheets, up close to Caduceus.

Caduceus for his part seems as unperturbed as usual. He allows Fjord close, lets himself be arranged, and makes no move to invade Fjord's space in return. It's close to perfect, especially once Fjord tugs on Caduceus's arm and the firbolg turns to curl around him.

"Thank you," Fjord murmurs once he's settled.

"You're welcome," Caduceus returns, voice already low and sleepy. "Good night, Fjord."

"Good night, Caduceus," Fjord echoes. He breathes deeply, matching his pace to Caduceus, who's already nodding off again.

Maybe in the morning he will ask Caduceus to meditate with him and the Wildmother will have some guidance for him. But for now, just this is enough, and he lets himself follow Caduceus into sleep.


End file.
